Whoa! Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson put on a show at Masters practice

SportsPulse: Masters week is upon us and everyone is asking the same question: Can Tiger actually win? Our Nancy Armour breaks down Tiger's chances and who appears to be primed to stand in his way.
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Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson share a laugh on the 11th tee while playing a practice round for the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on Tuesday, April 3, 2018, in Augusta, Ga.(Photo: Curtis Compton Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Together, they walked. Shoulder to shoulder and stride for stride.

Neither trying to 1-up the other.

Right over the famed Hogan Bridge to Augusta National Golf Club’s par-3 12th green they stepped in unison.

Like friends, even.

Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, two of the game’s active legends, put their unspoken rivalry to rest and played a Masters practice round together Tuesday for the first time — much to the delight of throngs of Masters patrons.

And Woods and Mickelson didn’t just play in the same morning grouping. They teamed up to whip Fred Couples and Thomas Pieters soundly in the nine-hole match.

Woods made eagle putts of 10 and 4 feet, respectively, at the par-5 13th and par-5 15th.

And during Mickelson’s string of five birdies, he and Woods shared a fist-bump after a birdie at 16, just like they did when Mickelson holed a high-arching flop shot from behind the 15th green.

It was like some Bizzaro Augusta.

These two mammoths of golf, who have combined for 19 major championship wins and who failed miserably as a Ryder Cup pairing in 2004, co-existed as if lifelong chums for almost three hours Tuesday.

And when the work was finished, Woods and Mickelson gave each other a solid handshake for a job well done. The sizable gallery at 18 was almost in shock to see it, pausing for a few seconds to behold before finally relenting its applause.

This wouldn’t have happened five, 10 or even 15 years ago. Anyone who has followed golf since the late 1990s can attest. Competitive nature, drive to be No. 1 in the world and strife to win major championships didn't afford Mickelson and Woods a friendship.

AUGUSTA, GA - APRIL 03: Phil Mickelson of the United States and Tiger Woods of the United States walk onto the 13th green during a practice round prior to the start of the 2018 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 3, 2018 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)(Photo: Andrew Redington, Getty Images)

“It’s funny, I walked past Tiger on the range before he came in to talk to you guys (after his round) and I said, ‘I’d never thought I’d see the day — Tiger and Phil playing a practice round at Augusta,’ ” McIlroy said Tuesday afternoon. “We had a bit of a laugh about that.”

This Woods-Mickelson practice round wasn’t the genesis of this newfound bond.

It began nearly three years ago with Ryder Cup preparation, Mickelson said. He and Woods talked on a daily basis while working on getting Team USA a win at Hazeltine in the 2016 Ryder Cup.

“To see him back out playing is incredible,” Mickelson said Tuesday. “We all feel that. I texted him a while ago when he was playing at Valspar that it felt like it was a different time continuum, because I found myself pulling for him so hard.

“It was unusual.”

Tiger Woods pumps his fist after his eagle on 13 during a practice round for the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 3.(Photo: Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports)

Couples spoke after the round about how great both Mickelson, 47, and Woods, 42, were playing. And he wouldn’t be surprised to see them playing in the final pairing together this Sunday at the Masters.

If it happens, don’t expect any cold shoulders or steely glares from Woods toward Mickelson.

“Our friendship has gotten stronger over the years,” he said. “We have competed a lot of times coming down the stretch in events. We were joking today about some of the thoughts that transpired here. We have gone through it a long time, and the better part of 20 years our friendship has certainly gotten a lot better.

“And I think it’s just age, as well. We’re at the tail end of our careers. We both know that. And we have had a great 20-year battle. Hopefully we’ll have a few more.”